Hi,

I'm a newbie to RC flight and I have some questions I'm hoping to get help with.

So far I've been practicing in RFG3.
I have a E-Starter built. Its powered by a AXI2212/26 and 2200 Mah LiPo. I have it built, CG set surfaces trimmed and throws set and hope to fly next week... I have friends with this E-Starter setup who say the AXI makes the plane a lot more capable and longer lived as a trainer. I decided to start foamy since we fly indoors int he winter here... if I don;t like it I'll likely get a RTF nitro trainer. I'm having second thoughts on my EStarter... I know, try it first.
I have a great instructor lined up who has been flying longer than I've been alive (and I'm 36 LOL.)
I got my MAAC (still wanting for it to be processed.)
I joined a club.
I read all about RC safety, club rules, my radio setup and features, many many plane reviews and a lot in this forum...


Question 1 - how should I "practice" in the sim?
I've been using Real Flight for about 2 months and I have a lot of PC flight sim experience in my past. I practice 30 mins to 1 hr a day. I've been practicing will all kinds of planes in RealFlight G3 my favorite is the Ultra Sport 60. I do all kinds of things I would never do with a real model starting out... but I crash a whole lot less now than a month ago. So far 100% of the time I can takeoff, land, do loops, rools, snap rolls, inverted flight, outside loops and basically never crash but sometimes be sloppy. Sometimes I can do knife edge, knife edge loops (badly), flat spins.
Should I use a beginner plane? (I hate them, they are slow and 90% of what I want to do just makes them fall from the sky LOL)
Should I stick to one plane?
Should I stick to the basics or is it okay to try some more advanced stuff?

Question 2 - I want to be flying a "real" plane but next summer if I can. I would LOVE to be flying a 60 size biplane.
I was thinking of buying a Dave Patrick Ultimate Bipe... but I am thinking I'd rather build a kit over the winter.
I have a lot of RC experience (17 years with all kinds of cars and lots of static model experience.)
Any recommendations for a great Bipe kit that will be good for an Intermediate flyer (okay maybe its a stretch that I'll be intermediate by next summer...) to advance with?

Thanks for any advice and suggestions.
And yes - I know ... slow down buddy don't rush it.

Can't answer the simulator questions but do know of two 60 size bipe kits:
Sig Hog Bipe $122.99
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXFG13&P=0

Midwest 1/6 scale Super Stearman $229.99
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXAP64&P=0

I know two people with Hog Bipes and they really like them. I've never seen the Midwest Super Stearman but I like the looks. And it is scale model of a really cool full size plane.

I will handle your first question. On the sim. you really need to "practice" your take offs and landings. After you can take off and keep it in the air long enough to make a circuit, start trying to land. I liked to use virtual flight instructor to help me out with the landings. After you have mastered landing and taking off, you can then learn some areobatic manuvers!

Hog bipes are great. Not as snappy as the Ultimate, but great looking and a little easier to fly. And it isn't scale, but you can dress it up to look like anything from a Pitts to a WWI fighter.

Well sims are just that, simulations! And By the sounds of it you will have no problems learning to fly and you have done some research also- but in my experience the main difficulty for a new pilot when flying a "real airplane", other than the dexterity required, is set-up and anxiety... A airplane that has the wrong CG, too much or too little throws, or bad angle of incidence is far more dangerous for a beginner than a properly set-up biplane ..LOL Keep in mind that EVERYTHING is easier on a sim- I have used Real-flight 2 and while it is fun it is no substitute for the real thing! It is much different when the airplane does not bounce off the ground for ya!

Buddy box it and you will be fine... Also learn as much as possible about troubleshooting whether it is electric or glow/gas- This will help as you progress-

You have good taste with the Bipe, just be patient and work your way up to it

Thanks for the tips

Flew the E-Starter with my instrutors help at a near-by park tonight. My instructor took it up, trimmed it a bit and handed over to me. No problems flying it - it felt easy - very slow and steady which is good. The CG and setup were good right off the start which helped. I was not too nervous since the investment in this one is really small. Made a few circuts and belly landed 3 times no problems other than not quite putting it exactly where I wanted. I found it easier to orient and line up for landin in real life than in the sim. Like someone mentioned having real hard ground makes you much more laid back in your flying LOL.

I picked up one of the new Hanger-9 P-51 trainers to get some gas experience. Hopefully I'll be out with that one in a couple weeks and if it lives up to the hype I should be flying it for a while until I'm good and ready for a Bipe. I'm going to spend more time in RF and with the EStarter over the next two weeks.

My instructor showed me his really nice Goldberg Bipe (designed by Dave Patrick he tells me...) ... I want one even more now LOL.

Re: " Should I use a beginner plane? (I hate them, they are slow and 90% of what I want to do just makes them fall from the sky LOL) "< don't be fooled by the flight sims as to the speed of trainer planes. Glow planes are much faster than e powered planes. Most will easily cruise at around 40 mph and fly much faster than that if you are flying with the wind. If you are really concered about buying a plane that will "bore" you in a short time then look at a 2nd type called an Avistar. Its inexpensive, aerobatic, and will fly about 70 mph with a good 46 size engine. [8D]

Once you can fly the P-51 without all the training gear, you'll be able to fly the CG Ultimate.

on the sim subject I found also what savage said is true. Practice landing landing landing also do dead stick landing to pratice at differant places in thoughts on lossing your engine. Not sure if your first build and fly sould be a bi thou.

Razor-RCU has it dead right. Sims are sims, & they aren't really very close to reality. As an example, one of my current students happily buzzes around on his sim without trouble. In real life he struggles mightily. On the sim he simple takes off, and flies. In reality he has not successfully accomplished a single take-off. His flying is helped by the sim re. the left/right issue, but that's about it. He has trouble dealing with the speed of the aircraft & the nervous tension associated with flying the noisy, expensive & contrary-minded real thing.

With sims, there is little realistic provision for turbulence, crosswinds, untrue & out-of-trim models, improper C-of-G effects, latteral imbalance, airframe flexing, surging engines, sun in your eyes & the paralysis that some students face when their hard-earned money is doing something other than what they would like it to do (stay airborn).

While the sim helps in getting the student's head wrapped around the basic concept, plus assists in teaching directionally, & to some extent magnitudinally correct control deflections, the real thing and a buddy box is a vastly better teaching tool.